Mark Cuban Image by Wikipedia

By David Ian Klein September 29, 2020

Mark Cuban, the Jewish billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, interceded to get an NBA legend and former Maverick who had fallen on hard times back on his feet — for the second time.

Last week, pictures surfaced of Delonte West, who played point guard for the Mavericks, homeless and panhandling on the street in North Dallas.

Delonte west really out here in north dallas smh pic.twitter.com/9SxZzIO5AP

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

— ?? (@CallTcooks) September 22, 2020

In his heyday, West, whose NBA career spanned from 2004 to 2012, played for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, West has also long struggled with mental illness. West has publicly disclosed that he suffered from bipolar disorder and was suicidal as a teenager.

After the pictures surfaced last week, Cuban tried to get in touch with West, ultimately convincing him to meet him at a gas station where Cuban picked him up and took him to a rehab program that he offered to pay for. He confirmed the story with The Washington Post.

Mark Cuban is a real one! Picks up Delonte West from a gas station after videos surface of Delonte begging for money in Texas pic.twitter.com/CvsdxXAJa5

— Rare Hip-Hop Moments (@RareHHM) September 29, 2020

It’s not the first time Cuban has helped out his former employee, in 2014, two years after West left the Mavericks, Cuban connected him with a financial adviser, in the hopes of keeping him off the street.

“The rest is up to Delonte and his family to tell,” he said.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount